Safe routing of muntin & mullions - help

[Steven Golick]

Just to close the loop....

Made some test muntin and mullions today, for divided light. Using the same bits (Whiteside 6003), the only difference was to switch one cutter from one bit to the other, switch the bearing, and put the buts back together.

Worked like a charm, first time. Used the parallel fence technique for safety. Used the Infinity copying sled for the cop cuts.

To my pleasant surprise, the joints were perfect, first time.

Now that I am feeling more comfortable with the techniques, tonight or tomorrow, I will start making the door for the cabinet.

Steven

[Steven Golick]

Well, the door is done. Muntins and mullions made, 3 over 2 (or is that 2 over 3?). In any event, slotted for 6 glass panel. All the pieces came together easily, although I did learn that leaning heavily on the coping sled flexes my table by just a hair (perhaps 1/64th or 1/32nd?) (enough to require sanding on one of the joints, but it will only take a bit of light work).

I learned a number of things (which I am sure most of the members on the list already know) when using a matching pair of rail and stile bits:
1. Stock must all be parallel, square, consistent in size, without warps or cuts, cut to length (although the stiles may be a bit over, as they can be trimmed later).
2. Always check your cuts on scrap. Always run extra pieces so that you will have some scrap to use for checking.
3. Use of feather boards (or 2 parallel fences, and feather boards as hold downs) is a must, if you want consistent cuts.
4. Route all of the stile cuts first, then the rail cuts (of course all with the first bit)
5. Making backing boards (for the coping cuts) as precisely as the finished stock is very important, as it prevents tearout, and also helps align the work. For muntins and mullions, this is a long strip with a coping cut routed along its length, which will match the stile cut on the length of the muntins and mullions.

Once again, many many thanks to all of those who contributes and helped me out on this. It has been a great learning experience, and your input has been very helpful to making it turn out.

Steven